Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-03-17

what is called sport and sportsmen, but
rife SEEMS
"What.' said Falkner
gentlemanlyn
She had raised her pretty head in the air,
and, with her hand shading her eyes, was
looking around the clear ether, and said
meditatively, Il wonder-no matter"
"What is it,"
ooh, nothing
at is something" said Falkner, with an
amused smile, reloading his rifle.
"Well, you once promised me am eagles
feather for my hat Isn't that thing an
eagle?n
Al am afraid it is only hawk"
''Well, that will do Shoot thatl"
Her eyes were sparkling. Falkner with
| drew his own with slight smile and raised
his rifle with provoking elaboration.
"Are you quite sure it's what you wantfH
he asked demurely.
| "Ycs-quick."
Nevertheless, it was some minutes before
the rifle cracked again. The wheeling bird
| suddenly struck the wind with its wings
aslant, and then fell like a plummet at a
| distance which showed the difficulty of the
feat Falkner started from her side before
the bird reached the ground He returned to
her after lapse of few moments, bearing
trailing wing in his hand 'You shall make
your choice, he said gayly.
"Are you sure it was killed outrightgn
"Head shot off, said Falkner briefly.
And, besides, the fall would have killed
it," said Kate conclusiveIy. ''It's lovely. ]
suppose they call you very good shotg'
"They-who!n
"Ohl the people you know-your friends
and their sisters
George shoots better than do, and has
had more experience I've seen him do that
with pistol. OF course not such long shot,
but more difficult one"
Kate did not reply, but her face showed a
conviction that as an artistic and gentle
manly performance it was probably in
feror to the one she had witnessed Falkner,
who had picked up the hare also, again took
his place by her side as they turned toward
the house.
"Do you remember the day you came
when we were walking here. you pointed out
that rock on the mountain where the poor
animals had taken refuge from the snowp
said Kate, suddenly
EYES," answered Falkner; they seem to
have diminished. / am afraid you We're right;
they have either eaten each other or escaped.
Let us hope the latter"
Il looked at them with glass every day."
said Kate, "and they've got down to only
four. There's bear and that shabby, over
grown cat you call California lion, and
wolf, and a creature like fox or squirrel"
"It's pity they're not all of kind said
Falkner
"Whyg
"Thered be nothing to keep them from be-
ing comfortable together"
"On the contrary. 1 should think it would
be simply awful to be shut up entirely with
ones own kind"
"Then you believe it is possible for them,
with their different natures and habits, to be
happy together?" said Falkner, with sudden
earnestness.
II believe" said Kate hurriedly, that
the bear and the lion find the fox and the
wolf very amusing; and that the fox and
the WOLF
"Wells' said Falkner, stopping short
"Well, the fox and the wolf will carry
away much better opinion of the lion and
bear than they had before"
They had reached the house by this time,
and for some occult reason Kate did not i'm
mediately enter the parlor, where she had
left her sister and the invalid, who had al
ready been promoted to a sofa and cushion
by the window, but proceeded directly to
her own room. As maneuver to avoid
meeting Mrs. Hale, it was scarcely neces-
sary, for that lady was already in advance of
her on the staircase, as if she had left the
parlor moment before they entered the |
house. Falkner, too, would have preferred |
the company Of his own thoughts, but Lee,
apparently the only unpreoccupied, all per-
vading and boyishly alert spirit in the party, |
hailed him from within, and obliged him to |
present himself ON the threshold of the par
Tor with the hare and hawks wing he was |
still carrying Eying the latter with affected |
concern, Lee said gravely: "Of course, / |
can eat it, Ned, and dare say it's the best |
part of the fowl, and the hare isn't moro |
than enough for the women, but l had no |
idea we were so reduced. Three hours and |
a half cunning, and only one hare and a |
hawks wing It's terrible"
Perceiving that his friend was alone, Falk- |
ner dropped his burden in the hall and strobe |
rapidly to his side. "Look here, George, we |
nust-I must-leave this place at once. It's |
no use talking; l can stand this sort of thing |
no longer"
''Nor can l, with the door open. Shut it, |
and say what you want quick, before Mrs. |
Hale comes back. Have you found trailF' |
mo, no; that's not what l mean"
"Well, it strikes me it ought to be, if you
expect to get away. Have you proposed to
Beacon Street, and she thinks it rather pre-
mature on a weeks acquaintanceF
mo; butt
''But you will, you means Don't, just
yet"
"But cannot live this perpetual lie"
''That depends. / don't know how you're
lying when Pm not with you. If you're
walking round with that girl, singing hymns
and talking of your class in Sunday school,
or if you're insinuating that you're million
aire. and think of buying the place for
summer hotel, should say you'd better quit
that kind of lying. But, on the other hand,
/ don't see the necessity of your dancing
round here with a shot gun, and yelling for
Harkins' blood, or counting that package of
greenbacks in the lap of Miss Scott, to be
truthful. 1t seems to me there ought to be
something between the two"
"But, George, don't you think-you are on
such good terms with Mrs. Hale and her
mother-that you might tell them the whole
storyl That is, tell it in your own way; they
will hear anything from you and believe it."
"Thank you; but suppose don't believe in
lying either"
"You know what 1 meant You have
way, d-n it, of making everything seem like
a matter of course, and the most natural